asked, “If all spiritual paths called Tarîqat were derived from Rasûlullah’s nûrs and are drops from his esrâr (secret, occult, mysterical manners and knowledge), why are there different paths, then, and why are they dissimilar in their sahw (recovering from rapture), sekr (ecstasy), telwîn (rapture), temkîn (composure), and their ravings that are called [shat-h] and which appear to be incompatible with the Sharî’at,” our answer is that these dissimilarities arise from idiosyncratic dissimilarities and differences in men’s creation. It is like that ofthe same kind of food or medicine which has different effects on different people. This can also be illustrated in that the same person’s image will be different in different mirrors. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ alaihi wa sallam’ would communicate occult and mystical meanings in various ways, depending on the tendencies and talents of his As-hâb. Water takes the shape of a container it is poured in. The same water will appear in different shapes, depending on the container it is in. A hadîth-i-sherîf states, “Teach everybody as much as (and in a manner) their mental capacities will embrace.” One day, Rasûlullah ‘sall- Allâhu ta’âlâ alaihi wa sallam’ was telling Abû Bekr ‘radiy- Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’ about secret spiritual knowledge. When ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’ came, he changed the discourse a little. Some time later ’Uthmân ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’ arrived. This time the Prophet changed the way of his discourse even more. And when Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’ came a while later, he began to say quite different things. He made these changes because each newcomer had a different nature and different dispositions. In answer to the second question; all the spiritual orders [Tarîqat] come from Imâm-i-Ja’fer Sâdiq ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’. [1] This Imâm is attached to two different ways. The first one, the way of his ancestors, comes from hadrat Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’. The second, which is the way of his mother’s father, comes from Siddîq-i-ekber ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’. On account ofthese two outward and spiritual Wilâyats, this great Imâm said, “Abû Bekr has caused me to have double existences.” These two ways possessed by the Imâm are different from each other. The Awliyâ belonging to the Naqshbendî order were given the way [1] Ja'fer Sâdiq is the sixth ofthe twelve Imâms. He is hadrat Alî's grandson's grandson and is at the same time Mûsâ Qâzim's father. He passed away in 148 [A.D. 765]. – 420 –

coming from Siddîq-i-ekber and through the Imâm. Awliyâ affiliated with the other spiritual orders were blessed with the way coming from Alî ‘kerrem-Allâhu wejheh’ (and, again, through the Imâm). SECOND VOLUME, 61st LETTER The purpose in our creation is our obtaining the ma’rifat pertaining to Allâhu ta’âlâ. There are two sorts of ma’rifat. The first one is obtained through scientific methods, e.g. observation and inference [reasoning, thinking]. The second one occurs in the heart through kashf and shuhûd. This kind of ma’rifat comes from experts of Tasawwuf [Awliyâ]. The first one is science and is obtained mentally. The second one is a state (of heart) and occurs involuntarily. The first one does not annihilate the Ârif (person who has obtained this kind of ma’rifat). The second kind will annihilate him. For this kind of ma’rifat means to lose one’s existence in the ma’rûf (the one whose ma’rifat, knowledge is obtained). Qurb (closeness) is not the movement known, Qurb-i-Haqq is disenthralment from existence! The first type is ’ilm-i-husûlî (acquired knowledge) and means to know on a certain setting. The second one is idrâk-i-basît (simple, mere realization) and does not have setting. For what is present here is Haqq. The sâlik (the person himself) has become fânî [nonexistent]. In the first type of ma’rifat the nafs is in the state of negation. For the nafs still exists with its evil attributes. Its obstinacy and desires have not ceased to exist. It has not freed itself from its eccentricities and inordinate appetites. The îmân, if there is any, is only in appearence. Deeds, worships are only superficial. The nafs maintains its unbelief and retains its enmity towards its Mawlâ [Owner]. It is declared in a hadîth-i-qudsî, “Know thine nafs as an enemy! For it is an enemy of Mine.” This type of îmân (the îmân held by the person who has obtained the first kind of ma’rifat) is called Îmân-i-mejâzî (figurative belief). This type of îmân may disappear (any time). In the second kind of ma’rifat the nafs has come round to (having) îmân because the sâlik has ceased to exist. This sort of ma’rifat [îmân] will never disappear. This îmân is termed Îmân-i-haqîqî (real îmân). Now – 421 –